With effective attractants, conventional in- 
secticides can be directed at specific insect 
pests without hurting wildlife. They may also 
be combined with chemosterilants (29) for 
similar selective action. 
And as we look to the future we do not plan 
to be content with 1964 pest-control efficiency 
either. Forward-looking entomologists are 
already radically upgrading their objectives 
and are now considering eradication of insect 
species very seriously. Attractants will help 
and will become more important as eradication 
becomes more likely. A good method for de- 
tecting infestations is almost a necessity to 
accomplish eradication and again a necessity 
to prevent reinfestation, or to establish quaran- 
tine lines. With international trade and traffic 
at an all-time high and increasing, accidental 
importations of harmful species are probably 
inevitable. This is why we are encircling our 
airports and harbor areas with attractant- 
baited traps; but we sorely need attractants 
to detect harmful species, for which we have 
not yet found good lures. 
The screw-worm fly [Cochliomyia 
hominivorax (Coquerel)] was eradicated from 
Florida by overflooding the natural fly popu- 
lation with insects sterilized by high-energy 
irradiation. This technique, originally con- 
ceived by Dr. Knipling (30), is the only one 
that improves in efficiency as the insect 
population is depressed. Within the past year 
in the Pacific islands, the melon fly (Dacus 

cucurbitae Coquillett) has been eradicated 
from Rota and the oriental fruit fly from 
Guam by the same technique--overflooding 
with sterile insects. Through the use of the 
excellent attractants we have for these 
species (31), the insect population could be 
monitored, and with this information the over- 
flooding ratio could be calculated, progress 
assessed, and the areas requiring treatment 
designated, until the last insect was de- 
stroyed. 
I would like to leave this major thought 
with you; Attractants can help us use insecti- 
cides or other insect-control measures more 
efficiently and more intelligently. 
May I conclude by stating that I see no 
"Silent Spring'' ahead, If the productivity of 
our scientists today is any criterion, we can 
be confident that the human mind will come 
forth with new concepts and new tools and 
techniques that will assure for our people 
nourishing, healthful food unblemished by in- 
sect attack. 
REFERENCES AND NOTES 
(1) R, Carson, Silent spring, 
Boston, 368 pp, (1962), 
(2) A, W, A, Brown, Pest Control 31 (4), 18 (1963), 
(3) V. G, Dethier, Chemical insect attractants and 
repellents, Blakiston, Philadelphia (1947); 
M, Jacobson and M, Beroza, Science 140, 
1367 (1963), 
(4) E, O, Wilson and W, H, Bossert, in Recent 
progress, Academic Press, Inc,, New York, 
v. 19, pp. 673-716 (1963), 
(5) R, F, Holbrook, M, Beroza, E, D, Burgess, 
Jour, Econ, Ent, 53, 751 (1960); F. Acree, 
M, Beroza, R, F, Holbrook, H, L, Haller, 
Jour, Econ, Ent, 52, 82 (1959), 
(6) M, Jacobson, M, Beroza, W, A, Jones, Science 
132, 1011 (1960); Jour, Amer, Chem, Soc, 83, 
4819 (1961), 
(7) M, Jacobson, Jour, Org, Chem, 27, 2670 (1962); 
U.S, Patents 3,050,551 and 3,018,219, 
(8) S. I, Gertler, L. F, Steiner, W. C. Mitchell, 
W. F, Barthel, Jour, Agr, and. Food Chem, 6, 
592 (1958); S, I, Gertler, U.S, Patent 2,851,392; 
L, F, Steiner, D, H, Miyashita, L, D, Christen- 
son, Jour, Econ, Ent, 50, 505 (1957); N, Green 
and M, Beroza, Jour, Org, Chem, 24, 761 (1959), 
Houghton Mifflin, 
40 
(9) L,. F, Steiner, W, C, Mitchell, K, Ohinata, Fruit 
fly control with poisoned bait sprays in Hawaii, 
U.S, Dept, Agr, ARS 33-3 (1958), 
M, Beroza, N, Green, S, I, Gertler, L, F, Steiner, 
D, H, Miyashita, Jour, Agr, and Food Chem, 9, 
361 (1961); M, Beroza, N, Green, S, I, Gertler, 
U.S, Patent 3,016,329, 
U.S, Dept. Agr., Press Release, USDA 3414-63, 
New technique wipes out oriental fruit Flies on 
Pacific island, Washington, D.C,, (Oct, ll, 
1963), 
C, S, Lofgren, F, J. Bartlett, C, E, Stringer, Jr., 
W, A, Banks, Jour, Econ, Ent, 57, 695 (1964), 
C, S, Lofgren, F, J, Bartlett, C, E, Stringer, 
Jour, Econ, Ent,, 57, 601 (1964), 
M, Beroza and N, Green, Materials tested as 
insect attractants, U.S, Dept, Agr, Agr. Handb, 
239, Washington, D.C, (1963), 
M, Beroza and N, Green, Advn, in Chem, 41, 11 
(1963); M, Jacobson, Advn, in Chem, 41, 1 
(1963), 
A, Sparks, The use of infrared photography to 
study mating habits of the European corn 
borer, presented at 18th Ann, Conf, North- 
Central Br., Ent, Soc, Amer, (Mar, 22, 1963), 
(10) 
(11) 
(12) 
(13) 
(14) 
(15) 
(16) 
